Roads, who do we believe?

November 2, 2012

Gary Nemeth

OPINION By GARY NEMETH

The Paso Robles City Council and Manager Jim App have told us for years that there is no road repair fund.

Last week I was in a meeting with Councilman Fred Strong and seven other people. Mr. Strong said that we did not have a road repair maintenance program. The standard answer was the state took away the gas tax. The state helped pay for work on Vine Street and I asked if the highway users tax account was used? Strong said “no that stopped several years ago.”

I then informed Strong that he needed to get with App to get their stories straight as App had sent a memo out last week stating the following:

“More and more of late, folks are quoting me as saying that the city has no road repair budget. I may have said that – at one time. But it is no longer accurate.”

A few months ago I was attending a Saturday meeting the council held stating how broke the city is. They needed money for the roads. Both Mayor Duane Picanco and Nick Gillman stated they had been out talking to groups of citizens who said they would not vote for a sales tax that went to the general fund because they did not trust this council.

An advisory vote was 5-0 for a specific sales tax that would go to roads and police/fire. Now we find out this council wants us to pass a sales tax that will go to the general fund.

When did the council know they had the money for road repairs? Was it known before the idea of the sales tax and the ex-chief payout to leave? Some of the Vine Street money came from this same highway users tax account several years ago.

Strong must have forgotten that in September 2012 he voted to spend money from this account on roads. The record reveals the highway users tax account from the State of California in the amount of $1,316,463; Reconstruct 21st Street ($2.7 Million). App said he expects that next year the city will be able to allocate at least another $700,000 for road repairs (from gas tax funds – provided the state continues to pass them along).

So, there is in fact a “budget” for road repairs.

It is time to bring back integrity and trust into City Hall, I have built a reputation on those very basic core concepts that seem to be missing. I ask you to write in Gary Nemeth for mayor of Paso Robles.

25 Comments

Typically, Gary is mixing his information out of time sequence because he probably doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Vine Street money was NOT road repair money it was “special grant funds” for bicycle paths, started over four years ago and granted, built and now used instead of having to “repair and maintain” the road. The same for Union Road coming up (half a million). 21st Street is storm runoff money which will fix a street instead of trying to find repair and maintenance money. If you don’t know how the State allocates its money you’ll NEVER get the money you need. In 2005 – 2007 the State “borrowed” the City’s road repair money. Last year it STARTED to pay it back. We will get some next year and some the next year Then it ends! In 2008 the Governor cancelled ALL local repair and maintenance money and put it in a State highway account. NO MORE MONEY unless it is a pay back for “borrowed” money (one more year). Stop trying to confuse and mislead the public, Gary. You OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER! You WERE my friend. What has happened to you? Are you sick? Projects on Higheways 46 and 101 are State highway safety and congestion grant funds. DIFFERENT “pots” of money for “special purposes” that CANNOT be used for anything else by law.Playing upon people’s ignorance is a terrible way to try to get elected! You should have grown up by now and learned to be honest with people.

Oh Please, Homework,
“You WERE my friend”. Wha Wha Wha. Stop the crybabies, GROW UP and be HONEST with yourself.
YOU befriended Mr. Nemeth. YOU had your own personal agender. YOU turned against Gary and dropped him as a friend when YOU got what YOU wanted.
In your own words, you OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER!

Fred. all you do is get grant money that costs us more than it’s worth out of our own revenue then you pat yourself on the back for sending us deeper into debt. That is the reason I did not vote for you.

Hey, Fred? Why not share the info in the investigation report on Lisa Solomon here? Spend some of your energy providing useful info instead of your usual rambling. What? You didn’t actually receive or even READ that report before voting in favor of her $250,000 gift of taxpayer’s funds? YOU OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER!

The people of Paso are way smarter than you give them credit for. They will take back their City and vote in people who actually know the difference between right and wrong.

Obviously ‘homework’ is someone from Jimmy’s inner circle. Given all of the ‘knowledge’ implied about how the state has taken money and how it allocates it – then it seems most logical that
‘homework’ is Fred Srong.

How appropiate that he would choose this ‘nom de plume’ – because if Paso Robles citizens have
done their homework – they would see clearly the mess he and the other council members (at the
direction of Jimmy) has made of so many things in this city over the past 4 or more years.

And for all of us who have not yet voted, the choice on Tuesday could not be clearer. Vote out Strong, Gilman, and Picanco. And vote down the 1/2% general fund sales tax initiative. This city needs a change – make it happen.

FACTS: 1. The Paso Robles Main Street Association has submitted a request to expand the
annual Kids Day from one day to a three day event, June 1, 2 and 3, 2012, with setup scheduled for May 31. Event components include:
x A country music concert in the Gazebo on Friday evening;
x Three large BBQ rigs vending food on Friday and Saturday from noon to 7
p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. on the west side of City Park;

x A beer and wine garden on the west side of City Park during all event
days/hours;

x Kids Day In The Park on the east side of City Park on Saturday from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m.;
x A giant bounce house on 11th
Street between Spring and Park Streets on
Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

OMG Danika!!! I didn’t even know they were planning this. Is Jim App just that much of a complete and uttter SH*THEAD!!!?? I DON’T think you need to be promoting a bunch of beer and wine at the same time as a kid’s event. WRONG MESSAGE!!

For the red thumb crowd I will reply why now as most don’t have courage to engage in conversation. I am not a prude and have no problem with either event, done SEPERATELY!!! Together NO!! If you agree with this, then why not have a bounce house in the park during the wine festival in May?

Thank you Danika for bringing this to our attention.

One last, after this election and depending on who is sitting on council, I would love to see if we the citizens of Paso, could find a way to give Jim App his walking papers. It is WAY past time for him to go.

BTDT, this is just proof that the City of Paso puts revenue above safety. Safety is the very reason CPRN2012 was started. If they can see reason in the bringing of children and alcohol together, what else do you think they have done that we don’t yet know?

I’m a little lost in your point??? If you are trying to compare it to the annual show at Barney Sharwartz, the last number of years, it has been totally financed by donations. I don’t have or see a problem with that. As a matter of fact, fireworks in the park on New Years might be an interesting idea, AGAIN if done by donations.

Gary, you are right, this city government has lost its integrity and the trust of many of its citizens. The issue with road repair funds is just one example, among many. Water treatment plant and sewer upgrade funds are others. The total mess made of the Solomon affair is yet another. I’m sure ther are others, but those 4 should be all the reasons needed by any sane, responsible citizen of this city to vote out Gilman, Strong, and Picanco. And to resoundingly defeat the 12 year, 1/2% sales tax to the general fund. Anybody that believes this would be used strictly for street repair and maintenance has really been brainwashed.

But in less than 5 days, we will all know just how fed up Paso Robles residents are. Hopefully, it has not been just a lot of talk. The one most important right and liberty we have is to vote our conscense and send an unambiguous message to our elected officials – do it better or get out and we will get someone else to do it.

So vote out the incumbents, vote no on tax increase. But don’t do this because of what I, or anyone else, has said. Take the time, make the effort to really look at the whole picture, understand the issues, and make a learned decision. This city has a great future, it needs leaders that will look after the needs of its citizens first, second, and third.

Mr. Fonzi, even your wife Roberta wasn’t born to the council seat. She LEARNED it OJT at some point. You might want to research the occupations of the current CC before they were elected. OJT happened.

I laugh out loud every time you throw this out there. I’m not Fonzi, why would he even have an interest in a Paso election. I know it’s important for you to think you’re in the know, but not this time.

I’m disappointed in the current council and the remedies that we are offered. It’s as simple as that. I have lived in Paso for over 20 years and have not seen it any uglier.

I agree time to put our money where our mouth is. I did absentee a couple days ago and my wife and I voted for Gary. Now I hope if Gary gets in he gets it done. If not then come next election it’s on to the next guy till we get this done.